MY story
Just before my first child was born, I bought a good camera.
Initially, taking photos of her and portraits was my goal. However, I eventually found my joy in photographing motos; it is rewarding and definitely easier than children.
I really enjoy sitting on the side of the road, with a shot in mind, waiting for a mate to come past on their pride and joy. When everything works out, and I get a nice shot, it's quite rewarding. Also, sharing my photos with friends that I took with my camera is a good feeling.
MY TIPS
The SUN
Overcast dry days are best. Cameras don't have as good dynamic range as our eyes. So I try to stay out of the strong sunlight, especially in the middle of the day, and find some large, shaded areas.
The last hour of the day can be great for photos, especially if the low sun can scatter some light onto the subject. The 750-sport photo is a good example of this.
Objects
Everyone generally looks at things from standing eye level. By kneeling down and zooming in, you effectively show someone a different perspective, making it just that little bit more interesting.
Perspective
Having a good background helps tell a story. A good road can be a great background. All riders love twisty roads, so if you see a really nice corner or cambered bend, it can make for a good photo opportunity. Ultimately, if you have a nice background with a twisty road, it's going to be a keeper!
In built-up areas, try to get as many distraction-like objects (parked cars, road cones (the worst), and signs) out of the background and foreground. Zooming in a bit or cropping later can be a good idea to limit the number of distractions in a photo.
Get Inspired
Look at what other people are achieving with their photos and try some of the things they do. I'm not a strong black and white photographer, but I have a friend who is. I push myself to try new things, and B&W is something I haven't mastered, but I'll still give it a try.
Magic Sauce
If you want to level up your photos, try editing them in Lightroom. This gives you control over cropping, lighting, and colours. It can even pull some details from harsh sunlight shadows. It's available on phones, and there's a free version.
The paid version unlocks some cool features that make it easy to get rid of things like road cones and even cake on the face, but it's not necessary if you just want to have a go.
Summary
Try to stay away from harsh sunlight, get low and zoomed, add the secret sauce. And you will get a great photo!
✍️📸 Kent Murray
